Peaceful, but smaller second BLM protest in Cleethorpes

After the first two purple-lidded bin collections in North Kesteven, 99.5% of dry paper and cardboard has been collected this month too.

Collections for the new dry paper and cardboard bins, on the week of November 22, saw 99.5% of purple bins presented correctly and emptied by waste workers. This equates to 340 tonnes of perfect quality paper and cardboard being recycled.

It is the third collection since the bins were rolled out across the North Kesteven district in September, and these latest figures continue the good start for the purple bins in the area.

In the first collection on the week of September 27, 98.5% of bins were correctly filled and emptied, and in the second collection a month later, that figure went above 99%.

North Kesteven District Council has said that there is not only a marked improvement in recycling quality of paper and cardboard, but also in green-lidded recycling items as a result of the fourth bin.

North Kesteven District Council Leader, Councillor Richard Wright. | Photo: Chris Vaughan Photography for NKDC

Council Leader Councillor Richard Wright said: “We are seeing fantastic figures like these only because residents in North Kesteven are absolutely doing their
best to help the environment by putting the right thing in the right bin. I can’t thank everyone enough for all their efforts.

“It takes far less energy and water to recycle paper and cardboard than to cut down trees and make it brand new from wood, so only putting the right things in your purple or purple-lidded bin really does help.”

However, the council has urged people to continue being mindful of what can and cannot go in the green bins, claiming that soft plastics such as carrier bags, food wrappers and crisp packets cannot be recycled on your kerbside at home.

Green bins were left with ‘tags of shame’. | Photos: Darren Cook and James Stout

It comes a month after the infamous ‘tags of shame‘ started being placed on green bins in North Kesteven, pointing out which items in the bin have “contaminated” the other recyclable goods, meaning waste workers cannot accept and empty it.

Cllr Wright added: “We’ve also seen an amazing change in the quality of green-lidded recycling thanks to our residents, who are ensuring more can be recycled than before by putting only the right things in these bins. We each really can make a difference by doing this.

“The biggest challenge when talking about green-lidded bins understandably continues to be soft plastics – that’s carrier bags, food wrappers, crisp packets, bin bags, bread bags and so on.

“These can’t be recycled from your kerbside at home but should instead go to soft plastic collection points in shops and supermarkets or if not, in the black bin only to be made into electricity. Cardboard takeaway packaging also cannot be recycled and must go in the black bin only.”

The manager of a historic pub in Lincoln has told The Lincolnite how the team are enjoying life under new ownership and looking forward to a refurbishment in the new year.

Valerie Hope and her husband Michael first opened the Wig & Mitre on Lincoln’s Steep Hill on December 14, 1977, where the Bishop of Lincoln at the time, Simon Phipps, pulled the first pint. The pub later moved a few doors on to 30-32 Steep Hill where it has been ever since.

Michael sadly died of cancer in 2012 before Valerie decided to retire earlier this year. Licensed and leisure property specialists Everard Cole marketed the two-storey Grade II Listed building for freehold offers in the region of £1.5 million.

The pub was taken over by RedCat Pub Company on October 20 this year and manager Emily North is one of two staff to have stayed on. Most of the staff team is new as others decided to leave over the last year, with new kitchen and front of house staff coming in.

Emily, who has worked at the pub for eight years, told The Lincolnite there have been some customers worried about whether ‘The Wig’ will now lose a bit of its quirk after the refurbishment in January 2022, but she has assured that its essence will remain.

She said: “It shouldn’t change too much. There is still a sense of community and they (the new owners) are letting us decide about food and drink, and to have a say on the refurb. I think some people are worried about it (the refurb) as ‘The Wig’ has a bit of a quirk, but they shouldn’t worry as the essence of the pub will remain the same.

“It has been really busy getting ready for Christmas and with the Christmas Market panic setting us, but they (RedCat) have been really good with anything we have needed.

“It was stressful at first but we are finding our feet now and RedCat have been really supportive.”

Inside the Wig & Mitre on Lincoln’s Steep Hill. | Photo: Everard Cole

She added that they were given a lot of notice when the pub went up for sale and that previous owner Valerie Hope kept her and the staff up-to-date throughout the process.

The Wig & Mitre has previously been described as a “local institution” and occupies buildings dating back to the 14th century.

It was reported by the Morning Advertiser earlier this month that RedCat Pub Company had acquired the Turks Head in Hasketon in Suffolk, taking the estate to 77 sites ( a combination of managed and tenanted) . They reported that former Greene King boss Rooney Anand had raised £200 million to invest in Britain’s pub sector, who is the executive chairman of RedCat Pub Company.

The first acquisition of 42 former Stonegate sites for an undisclosed sum was made in March this year, comprising of 30 freehold and 12 leasehold sites, according to The Caterer.

RedCat own two other pubs in Lincolnshire, both in Bourne – The Jubilee Garage, and Smiths of Bourne.

A 59-year-old man from Grimsby has been jailed for three years after so-called ‘paedophile hunters’ caught him on his way to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

Brian Royston was intercepted by members of Elusive Child Protection Unit at a train station in Handforth, Cheshire on October 3, where he believed he was meeting up with a 13-year-old girl.

The paedophile hunter group then had a heated exchange with Royston about his intentions, all of which was caught on camera, before he was taken away by police.

Upon meeting Royston, the hunters ask him a series of questions in regards to his relationship with the alleged victim, who happened to be a decoy account, which he was unaware of.

It was discovered that he had packed condoms to meet the 13-year-old girl, highlighting his sexual intentions with her, before the hunters read out some of his explicit message exchanges.

You can watch the full 26 minute video of the group’s sting on Brian Royston by visiting their Facebook page.

Brian Royston, of Scartho Road in the North East Lincolnshire town, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity, during a hearing at Chester Crown Court.

The 59-year-old was jailed for three years, half of which will be served on licence, and he will be placed on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life.

After his sentencing, Elusive Child Protection Unit, which has over 40,000 page likes on Facebook, said: “[It’s the] fastest turn around we have seen, charged and sentenced in under two months.

“Massive well done to all the team, including hunters and our faithful security, job well done guys!”